Cheap way to fill those autoracks

[wm3798]

http://www.plastruct.com/Pages/OnlineProductDetail.lasso?&CCode=VWBG-100

I'm not sure how this compares with N scale, but for $5 for 4 cars, I'm willing to take a gamble.

Lee

[wcfn100]

I don't think they'll even be close to fitting into an autorack.


If this were an N scale bug:

*****

This would be the plastructs one:

********

Jason

[wm3798]

Curses!  Foiled again!

S. Whiplash

[Sokramiketes]

Yeah, it says 1:100 right in the description.  The 1:144 cars are a lot closer, and are still somewhat big for an autorack. 

[David Leonard]

If it's an enclosed autorack you're talking about, it should be fairly straightforward to cast non-detailed body shapes in resin.  Since you'd only see the profile through the stainless steel sides of the autorack, you wouldn't have to get too concerned about details.  Maybe it should be a two piece casting so that the automobile windows show through.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've got some of their pickups, and while they don't work for an F250, they sure look to be about right for a Ranger sized vehicle.

[engineshop]

I used a side drawing of a car (BMW web site), reduced it to 1:160, cut out two pieces of styrene, spaced them apart about the right amount and filled it with Sculpey clay following the conture of the styrene. After baking they clay in the oven according to the instruction I had my original for resin casting.
The cars are awful but it does not show behind the screen.

[Mark5]

Interesting but I can't recall ever being able to see that much of the cars through the sides in real life. ???

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Found a link for the pickups:
http://www.plastruct.com/Pages/OnlineProductDetail.lasso?-op='eq'&CCode=AMC-200E

[wm3798]

Sorry guys, I'm modeling 1970 and before, so no camouflage is available.  I've  already done one car with a bunch of cast resin pick-up trucks, and I have a box of VW fastbacks and squarebacks, as well as a few beetles.  The tri-level racks can hold up to 18 VW's  (Western Maryland had a deal bringing them in through Port Covington for a while...)  I can use bi-levels to carry VW buses.  I'm not really interested in super detail, and cost is certainly an issue.  I mount the cars on a strip of black styrene so they can be readily loaded and unloaded in staging.

The scales available in the VW's are 1:100, 1:200, and 1:300.  I didn't see 1:144 offered.  There's a couple neat kits available from Plastruct, too.  Trees and shrubs as well.  You should check out their site.

Lee

[engineshop]

Lee

It is more expensive than the Plastruct but also more detailed.

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Car-Collection-No-1-Tomytec-Tomix-1-150-scale_W0QQitemZ110084399894QQihZ001QQcategoryZ19127QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Car-Collection-No-2-Tomytec-Tomix-1-150-scale_W0QQitemZ110088642292QQihZ001QQcategoryZ19127QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

I got the modern collection and they look very nice.

[FrankCampagna]

There's a couple neat kits available from Plastruct, too.  Trees and shrubs as well.  You should check out their site.

I'll second that. I have their bridge and water tower. Not the easiest kits if I recall, but very, very nice. A lot of VW's came through the port of Albany, NY. Shipped out on the D&H. Even saw their ship going up the Hudson once. Frank

[wm3798]

Roland,
Those Japanese cars look pretty good, but a little too Japanese than I'd like for my racks.  They definitely don't look like VW's.

Although, if I had some more Japanese cars on the layout....


Andy and I could play Ultra Man!!

Lee

[bsoplinger]

A bit late for the open autorack, but more 'American' looking, as I think these were all imported into the US:

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Car-Collection-No-3-Nissan-Z-Tomytec-1-150-scale_W0QQitemZ110088035857QQihZ001QQcategoryZ19127QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

These are the fairlady, imported as the Nizzan Z.

The first car collection definitely has a Japanese look to them but the second can easily pass for a typical 70's era import from Japan.

I have all 3 tomytec sets along with a few of their truck and bus collections. Very nice little cars, see thru plastic glass and free rolling wheels. 36 cars in a set for about 50 bucks. Or a dozen trucks or busses (even if the door is on the wrong side).

[engineshop]

... Or a dozen trucks or busses (even if the door is on the wrong side).

I got the buses as well, actually everything modern from that line. To change the door on the modern buses is actually pretty easy. I glued the lower glass on the left side of the door to the model before painting and cut another one on the other side. I cut the steering wheel and seat and moved it over.



This was my first attempted without the change of the lower glass.